Locking device for automobiles.



1'. M. WHITE. LOCKING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES: APPLICATION FILE D APR. 6 19M.

Patented June 5, 1917.

JESSEE IMI. "WHITE, GE PHILADELEHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

LUCKIEIEG' DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, i917.

Application filed April 6, 1916. Serial No. 89,341.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jnssnn WHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Locking Devices for Automobiles, of which the following isa specification.

My invention consists of a device for preventing the stealing of automobiles, and is of that general. class oi such devices which cut ofi from the ignition system that supply of electricity which affects the explosion in the engine cylinder.

,Prior to my invention there have been a number of devices of the above described type, but they cannot be considered to be entirely successful since their construction is such as to permit any one who is familiar with the principles oi the electric connections of automobiles to steal the current from the source of supply even though the regular circuit is opened.

One of the objects of my invention is to so construct a device oi the above type which will efiectively cut oil' current from the igni tion system and includes a lock which must be operated by akey or other selective means to close the circuit with the generator. Another object is to so construct my device that it will be durable, of simple construction,

and easy to manufacture.

My invention is especially serviceable when used on automobiles where the generator is mounted on. the fly wheel of the englue and the drawings illustrate it as used in this connection, however, it will be understood that it may be used advantageously with other types of automobiles and generators.

The above objects and other advantageous ends which. will be set forth hereinafter l attain in the following manner, reference beiug had to the accompanying drawing in which- Figure l is a sectional elevation of my invention, showing suilicient of the frame and generator oi an automoltvile to illustrate its use.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of certain ofthe elements of my invention.

Referring to the urawings, l is a metallic casing which may he made of iron, steel, or other material which will conduct electricity. This-casing is secured by bolts 2 to the metallic. framework of the automobile, said bolts having integral heads 4 on the outer .the casing 1, said recesses being of sufiicient depth to allow the top surface of the head of the bolt to be below the surface 5 of the casing 1, and sealing wax or other material is in some instances poured over the top of these bolts to cover them and produce a surface flush with said surface 5*.

The casing 1 has an opening 6 passing therethrough, and an insulating sleeve 7 fits within said opening and provides a guideway for a metallic bar 8 which is cup-shaped at its lower end 9. The upper end of the bar 8 is threaded to receive a thumb screw 10 which acts as a binding post for the reception of a wire 11. The insulating sleeve 7 also provides a housing for an expansion spring 12, the upper end of the latter being positioned within and in electric connection with the cupped end 9 of said bar 8.

A contacting shoe 13 has a stem 14 which fits within the spring 12, so that the latter normally tends to move said finger downward into contact with the electric generator which in the present instance is diagrammatically represented by the block 15.

The casing 1 has an opening 16. This opening extends at an incline and intersects the surface 17 of the casing 1, and connects with the opening 6. An insulating sleeve 18 fits within the opening 16 and at its upper end abuts the insulating sleeve 7. An insulating washer l9 closes the lower end oi the sleeve 18, and a threaded plug 20 is screwed within a tapped portion ofthe opening 16 adj scent its lower end. This tapped plug when in place has its outer surifacejfiush and may if desired be covered with a seal of any kind, such for example as sealing wax or the like.

Slidable Within the sleeve 18 is a plunger Q1 having its upper end in contact with the outer surface of the cupped. end 9, and its lower end in engagement with the end of an expansion spring 2-2, the other end of said latter spring being in engagement with the insulating washer 19. v

The casing 1 has a projection 23 extending at an angle and this arojectionis bored or otherwise recessed for the provision of a lock 24 of any desired type, but preferably of the general construction shown in Fig. 1, and which has a projecting tenon 25 which can only be turned when the proper key is inserted within the said lock. The projection 23 is also provided with a recess 26 for the reception of a rotatable cylinder 27. This cylinder at the upper end has a groove 28 designed to receive the tenon 25, so that when the latter is turned, the cylinder will turn therewith.

The lower end of the cylinder 27 abuts the bottom of the recess. 26, and has an inclined or cam surface 29, the purpose of which will be described hereinafter.

A passage 30 connects with the recess 26 and the opening 16, said passage being narrower than the recess 26, and having one portion of its wall flush with a portion of the wall of the recess 26 as clearly shown in Fig. 1. This passage 30 has an insulating sleeve 31 which isclosed at its upper end, said upper end being substantially flush with the bottom of the recess 26.

A finger 32, which in the present instance consists of a short metallic rod has an annular flange 33 designed to'abut the inner face of the closed end of the insulating sleeve 31, and an expansion spring 34L is mounted within the sleeve 31 and has its opposite ends in engagement with the lower face of the annular flange 33 and a recess portion in the plunger 21, said recess being so formed as to be substantially in a plane at right angles to the axis of the finger 32. This spring serves both to keep the annular flange in contact with the said closed end of the sleeve 31, and to form an electric connection between the plunger 21 and the finger 32, said finger 32 normally projecting beyond the bottom of the recess 26.

The projection 23 is substantially at right angles with the inclined foot board 35 forming a portionol' the floor of the automobile, and this foot-boardintcrsects with a front or dashboard '36, the latter extending downwardly and covering the top surface of the casing 1. By this construction the lock is in such position as to. be easily actuated bythe driver of the car, and there are no portions of the. casing projecting into the inside of the car.

It may be further stated that the cylinder 27 being of metal and in contact with the metallic casing 1, would under certain conditions convey current to said casing 1.

Considering that the finger 32 is out of contact with the cylinder 27 as shown in Fig. l, and that one side of the ignition system is grounded to the main frame 3 and the other side connected to the generator by means of the wire 11, current will pass in the'usualmanner from the generating block 15 through the spring 12, bar 3, and wire 11 to the ignition system and return to the 32. The current will then flow from the generator 15, shoe 13, spring 12, bar 8, plunger 21, and thence through the spring 34, finger 32, and. cylinder 27 to the metallic casing 1, which is in electric connection with the frame In other words, the turning of the key immediately completes a circuit directly from the generator to the main frame of the machine.

-While I have described my invention requiring the use of a detachable key, ll may 1 actuate the cylinder 27 by any form of selective mechanism, there being a number of these on the market in the form of small combination locks. It will be understood that the manner of insulating the several parts of my invention ,efi'ectively prevents the passage of current therethrough except when the cylinder 27 is turned to engage and move the finger 32, Furthermore, the several springs of my device are so designed as to form a proper cushioning for the several parts and for holding them in proper contact one with another.

While I have described my invention as taking one particular form, it will be-understood that the various parts of my invention may be changed without departing from. the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my" invention,

means in said opening forming a conductor for electric current, a second current-conducting means in said casing andinsulated therefrom, saidsecond means being in metallic connection with said conductor, a movable member in metallic connection with said casing, and a lock operative by selective means, said lock having a portion for engagement with said latter member to move it into electric contact with said second conducting means, substantially as described.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a metallic casing having an opening therein, an insulating sleeve in said opening, means within said sleeve forming a conductor of electricity, said casing having a vsecond opening, an insulating sleeve for said second opening, a metallic plunger in said second sleeve, means for holdmg incense said plunger in contact with said conductor, said casing having a recess, a metallic cylinder fitting said recess, a passageway formed in said casing, ;a sleeve insulating said pas sageway and partially closed at one end, a finger movable in said passageway and having a portion abutting said end and an extension projecting through said end, resilient means for normally holding said portion in engagement with the closed end and for forming an electric conductor between said plunger and the finger, and a lock operative by selective means for moving said cylinder into electric contact with the projecting portion of said finger, substantially as described.

8.- A device of the character described,

1 comprising a metallic casing having openings and a recess, insulating sleeves in said openings, means within one of said sleeves forming a conductor of electricity, a metallic plunger in the second sleeve, means for holding said plunger in contact with the conductor, a metallic cylinder fitting said recess, said casing having a passageway formed therein, a sleeve insulating said passageway and having an end closure, a finger movable in said passageway and having a portion abutting said end closure, said finger having another portion designed to project through said end closure and into said recess, ametallic spring for normally keeping said second portion of thefinger within said recess and acting as an electric conductor between said plunger and the finger, and a lock operative by selective means for moving said cylinder into electric contact with said-finger to complete a circuit with said casing through the medium.

of said cylinder, substantially as described. 4. A device of the character described,

comprising a metallic casing having openings and a recess, insulating sleeves in said openings, means within one of said sleeves forming a conductor of electricity, a me tallic plunger in the second sleeve, means for holding said plunger in contact with said conductor, a metallic cylinder fitting said recess and having a cam portion, a passageway formed in said casing, a sleeve insulating said passageway, a metallic finger movable in said passageway, a metallic spring for moving said finger into said re cess and for forming an electric conductor between said plunger and finger, and a lock operative by selective meansfor moving said cylinder to bring said cam face into electric contact with said finger whereby an electric circuit is completed between said finger and the casing through the medium of said cylinder, substantially as described.-

5. A device of the character described, comprising a metallic casing having a cylindrical chamber, current-conducting means in said casing and insulated therefrom, said means including a spring-pressed pin nor mally projecting into said chamber, a member rotatably fitting within said chamber and in electrical contact with said casing, said latter member being normally out of contact with said spring-pressed pin, and a lock operative by selective means for moving saidmember into engagement with said first means, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Jnss'nn M. WHITE. 

